The Senior National Soccer Team’s former Head Coach, Thomas Kojo says his dismissal from the team was as a result of his deliberate refusal to accept interference from top football officials.
Kojo said his refusal to select a certain group of players from the 2nd division league as requested by top officials of the Liberia Football Association led to his abrupt exit despite an outstanding performance record with the national team.
Mr. Kojo accused LFA President Mustapha Raji, Vice President for Administration, Sekou Konneh, Vice President for Operations, Wilmot Smith, Executive Committee Member, Arvin Brown, and LFA Technical Director, Henry Brown as personalities who interfered in his selection of players.
According to Coach Kojo, LFA Vice President for Administration Professor Sekou Konneh once described his action as ‘arrogant’ doing a technical meeting due to his refusal to re-visit the list and select additional players from the second league suggested by top LFA officials.
Mr. Kojo maintained that he was threatened with dismissal if the country does not qualify for Chan Nations Cup in which Liberia was due to play Senegal in the preliminary qualifiers.
He made the assertions recently on a local radio station OK Sports Desk in a special interview in Paynesville City.
In response to Coach Thomas Kojo’s allegations, Liberia Football Association President Mustapha Raji in a telephone conversation on Monday, July 19, 2021, said the allegations have no iota of truth.
But the LFA President for Administration, Sekou Konneh in an interview admitted to asking the former National team coach to select players from the 1st and 2nd divisions as was indicated in his contract.
Meanwhile, the current National team Coach Peter Butler recently invited over three 3rd division players to the Senior National Team which sparked wide criticisms.
Two of the players are currently playing for clubs owned and operated by the Liberia Football Association Executive Committee Members Paywala Janyan and Kelvin Bayoh.
Reported by Sports Director: Sylvester Tamba
Email: stamba498@gmail.com
Phone number: +231776687195
Whatsapp number: +231776687195
